The Kentucky Wildcats are the best team in college basketball. They have all the pieces to make a run at the National Championship, and they are ranked number one in both the AP and Coaches Poll. Last year they made it to the Final Four, only to lose to the hottest team in the country at the time, the Connecticut Huskies. They beat Ohio State and North Carolina along the way, but fell just short of a championship.
Kentucky has a very strong frontcourt that can matchup against any team in the country. Anthony Davis, a player of the year candidate, leads the way with 13.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and a staggering 4.7 blocks per game. Davis has a total of 108 blocks on the season, and he has been a defensive force for them all season.
The other two key pieces of this strong frontcourt are Terrence Jones and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who are both averaging over 12 points a game. Add that to their combined 14.1 rebounds per game, and they are solid support for Davis. Freshman Kyle Wiltjer has done a solid job coming off the bench, putting up five points per game.
The key to Kentucky’s season is their freshman point guard, Marquis Teague. He is averaging 9.8 points and 4.4 assists per game. The key figure, however, is the 2.9 turnovers per game. That number has to come down if Kentucky is going to be a serious contender in the NCAA Tournament.
The other two guards, Darius Miller and Doron Lamb, are averaging over 23 points and 6 rebounds per game, combined. Lamb is shooting 46% percent from three-point range, a number that is very important if you remember how they did two years ago in the NCAA Tournament.
They shot 4-32 in the Elite Eight against West Virginia, costing them the chance to play Duke in the Final Four in 2010. Having somebody who can hit the three consistently will be vital come tournament time. It will allow them to take pressure off Davis and will give him somebody to pass to if he draws a double team in the post.
This is a team loaded with talent. They have guys who can hit shots, make plays, and who can defend. However, everything rides on their young point guard. Kentucky will only go as far as Marquis Teague takes them. If he cuts down on turnovers and becomes a better defender, this team is all but unbeatable.
Robert Edgcomb - I have been a sports enthusiast my entire life. I have strong opinions and I use facts and statistics to support everything I write.
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